Method of host-directed illumination and system for conducting host-directed illumination

Abstract

A method of host-directed illumination for verifying the validity of biometric data of a user is provided that includes capturing biometric data from a user with an authentication device during authentication and directing illumination of the biometric data from a host authentication system during the capturing operation. Moreover, the method includes comparing illumination characteristics of the captured biometric data against illumination characteristics expected to result from the directing operation, and determining that the user is a live user when the illumination characteristics of the captured biometric data match the illumination characteristics expected to result from the directing operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for detecting user liveness comprising:
 transmitting, using an authentication computer system, via a network an illumination instruction to a computing device, the illumination instruction comprising a plurality of illumination instructions that each cause the applied illumination to be for a different wavelength; 
 capturing, by the computing device, facial image data of a user as a sequence of discrete images, each discrete image being captured while illumination is applied to the face of the user in accordance with the illumination instruction; 
 transmitting over the network, by the computing device, the sequence of discrete images to the authentication computer system; 
 recognizing, by the authentication computer system, reflections in a plurality of the images, the reflections resulting from the applied illumination; and 
 determining, by the authentication computer system, the user is live when the reflections recognized in each image included in the plurality of images correspond to the illumination applied while capturing the respective image. 
 
     
     
       2. A method for detecting user liveness in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising authenticating, by the authentication computer system, the user based on one of the discrete images and a record user image. 
     
     
       3. A method for detecting user liveness in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising illuminating the face of the user with light outside the visible spectrum. 
     
     
       4. A method for detecting user liveness in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising tracking movement of an illuminated region on the face of the user, the illuminated region being illuminated with light outside the visible spectrum. 
     
     
       5. An authentication computer system for detecting user liveness comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory for storing data, said authentication computer system being associated with a network and said memory being in communication with said processor and having instructions stored thereon which, when read and executed by said processor cause said authentication computer system to: 
 transmit an illumination instruction to a computing device, the illumination instruction comprising a plurality of illumination instructions that each cause illumination to be applied for a different wavelength; 
 receive a plurality of images included in a sequence of discrete images, each discrete image being captured by the computing device while illumination is applied to the face of a user in accordance with the illumination instruction; 
 recognize reflections in the plurality of images, the reflections resulting from the applied illumination; and 
 determine the user is live when the reflections recognized in each image included in the plurality of images correspond to the illumination applied while capturing the respective image. 
 
     
     
       6. An authentication computer system for detecting user liveness in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the instructions when read and executed by said processor further cause said authentication computer system to authenticate the user based on one of the plurality of images and a record user image. 
     
     
       7. A method for detecting user liveness comprising:
 capturing, by a computing device, facial image data of a user as a sequence of discrete images, each discrete image being captured while illumination is applied to the face of the user in accordance with an illumination instruction comprising a plurality of illumination instructions that each cause the applied illumination to be for a different wavelength; 
 recognizing, by the computing device, reflections in a plurality of the images, the reflections resulting from the applied illumination; and 
 determining, by the computing device, the user is live when the reflections recognized in each image included in the plurality of images correspond to the illumination applied while capturing the respective image. 
 
     
     
       8. A method for detecting user liveness in accordance with  claim 7  further comprising authenticating the user based on one of the discrete images and a record user image. 
     
     
       9. A method for detecting user liveness in accordance with  claim 7 , further comprising illuminating the face of the user with light outside the visible spectrum. 
     
     
       10. A method for detecting user liveness in accordance with  claim 7  further comprising tracking movement of an illuminated region on the face of the user, the illuminated region being illuminated with light outside the visible spectrum. 
     
     
       11. A computing device for detecting user liveness comprising:
 a display screen; 
 a processor; and 
 a memory configured to store data, said computing device being associated with a network and said memory being in communication with said processor and having instructions stored thereon which, when read and executed by said processor cause said computing device to: 
 capture facial image data of a user as a sequence of discrete images, each discrete image being captured while illumination is applied to the face of the user in accordance with an illumination instruction comprising a plurality of illumination instructions that each cause illumination to be applied for a different wavelength; 
 recognize reflections in a plurality of the images, the reflections resulting from the applied illumination; and 
 determine the user is live when the reflections recognized in each image included in the plurality of images correspond to the illumination applied while capturing the respective image. 
 
     
     
       12. A computing device for detecting user liveness in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the instructions when read and executed by said processor further cause said computing device to authenticate the user based on one of the discrete images and a record user image. 
     
     
       13. A computing device for detecting user liveness in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the instructions when read and executed by said processor further cause said computing device to illuminate the face of the user with light outside the visible spectrum. 
     
     
       14. A computing device for detecting user liveness in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the instructions when read and executed by said processor further cause said computing device to track movement of an illuminated region on the face of the user, the illuminated region being illuminated with light outside the visible spectrum.